Bridge-guard whip.



PATENTED JAN. 16, 1906.

J. H. DONALDSON.

BRIDGE GUARD WHIP.

APPLIOATION FILED MAY 2o, 1904.

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JAMES H. DONALDSON, OF CI-IICAGO, ILLINOIS.

BRIDGE-GUARD WHIP..

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Jan. 1e, 1906.

Application filed May 20, 1904. Serial No. 208,943.

To @ZZ 'L1/71,0711, i may concern:

Be it known that I, JAMES H. DoNALDsoN, a citizen of the United States, residing at Chicago, county of Cook, State of Illinois, have invented a certain new and useful Improvenent in Bridge-Guard Whips; and I declare the following' to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it pertains to make anduse the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, which form a part of this specification.

My invention relates to bridge-guard whips.

It is customary to suspend yielding devices across a railroad-track at a distance above the track slightly greater than the height of the ordinary box freight-car to warn trainmen on top of the cars that the train is about to pass into a tunnel or under a bridge or other structure. Such guards usually consist in a number of strips of flexible material which depend from a wire stretched across the track and which strike the trainmen on top of the cars and warn them to stoop, and thereby avoid being knocked from the cars. Bridgeguard whips as usually constructed are open to the very serious objection that the depending strips of material are so light in weight that they are blown from their normal positions by the wind and by the exhaust of passing locomotives,'so that it is possible for a trainman to pass beneath the same without touching them, and consequently they fail to give warning of the approaching danger.

The primary object of my invention is to provide a bridge-guard whip the effectiveness of which will in no wise be lessened by the wind, but which will at all times be in position to give the desired warning' to trainmen.

A further object of my invention is to provide a device of the characterdescribed which will be simple in construction, inexpensive in manufacture, and eiiicient in use.

My invention, generally described, consists in a plurality of yielding rods, such as ratan, suspended at their upper ends from a transverse support and transverse bars extending on either side of the rods below their upper ends, which prevent the displacement ofthe rods by the wind, but permit their movement in either direction and their lateral separation when engaged by a trainman on top of the car. My invention will be more fully described hereinafter With reference to the accompany- B designates a transverse rod the opposite ends of which pass through the posts A and A2 near the tops thereof.

Z2 designates suitable fastening devices for engaging the ends of the rod B, which project through the posts.

C designates a transverse strip supported beneath the rod B by hangers the upper ends of which surround the rod B, while their lower ends pass through openings in the strip C. the strip C, tie-rods C and C2 are secured to the ends of the strip and are fastened to the posts A and A2 by suitable devices-such, for instance, as eyebolts c and o2.

c designates a nut secured on the end of each of the eyebolts c and c2 to tightly fasten the same to the corresponding' post.

D designates a plurality of yielding or flexible rods, preferably made of ratan. Each of these rods is provided with a hook E, adapted to pass through a hole in the strip C. Any

suitable means may be provided for securing the hooks Eto the upper ends of the rods D- such, for instance, as a clip or band CZ, which surrounds and is embedded in the upper end of the rod and binds thereto the lower end of the hook. Toprevent the hook from becoming detached from the band d, it is provided with a laterallyprojecting lug e at its lower end, which extends beneath the clip (Z, as clearly shown in Fig. 3.

In order that the rodsD may be prevented from being swung by the wind longitudinally with respect to the track, transverse bars G and G2 are located on either side of the series of rods immediately below their upper ends. The bars G and G2 may be conveniently supported by hangers F, depending from the strip C. Such hangers may be formed of wire, the

In order to prevent lateral movement ofn IOS upper ends of which pass through holes in the strip C. Each hanger Fis bent to form an eye at its lower end, such eyes surrounding the bars Gr and G2, as clearly shown in Fig. 2. Any number of hangers F may be provided to prevent the sagging of the bars. The hangers which support the bars G and G2 permit the bars to swing in either direction when the rods are engaged by an object; but the weight oi' such bars is such as to prevent the wind from displacing the rods from their normal vertical positions, so that they will always be in position to strike against a trainman on top of the car. The rods are suiiiciently resilient and also have sufficient lateral play with respect to each other to permit the passage oi' an object through the same without becoming broken, they only being temporarily displaced, after which they return to their normal positions.

From the foregoing description it will be observed that I have invented an improved bridge-guard whip which is at all times in operative position, so that it is impossible for a trainman to pass a point at which the guard is located without being warned of the approaching bridge or tunnel.

While I have described more or less precisely the details of construction, I do not wish to be understood as limiting myself thereto, as I contemplate changes in form, the proportion of parts, and the substitution of equivalents, as circumstances may suggest or render expedient, without departing from the spirit of my invention.

Having now i'ully described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

l. In a bridge-guard whip, the combination with a transverse support, of a plurality of rods depending from said support, and means preventing' the movement of said rods relatively to said support by the wind.

2. In a bridge-guard whip, the combination with a transverse support, of a plurality of rods depending from said support, and transverse bars located on either side of said rods adjacent their upper ends to prevent said rods being swung relatively to the transverse support by the wind.

3. In a bridge-guard whip, the combination with a transverse support, of a plurality of rods depending' from said support, hangers depending from said support on opposite sides of said rods, and transverse bars supported by said hangers adjacent the upper ends of the rods.

4. In a bridge-guard whip, the combination with a transverse support, a plurality of ratan rods pivotally secured to said support at their upper ends, and means for preventing said rods being swung relatively to said support by the wind.

5. In abridge-guard whip, the combination with a pair of posts one located at each side ot' a railroad-track, of a transverse rod supported at its opposite ends near the upper ends of said posts, a transverse strip suspended by said rod, tie-rods uniting the ends or' said strip to the posts, and a plurality of rods depending from said strip.

6. In a bridge-guard whip, the combination with al pair of posts one located at each side 'of a railroad-track, of a transverse rod supported at its opposite ends near the upper ends oi' said posts. a transverse strip suspended by said rod, tie-rods uniting the ends of said strip to the posts, a plurality of rods depending from said strip, and means for preventing the movement of said rods relatively to said strip by the wind.

7. In a bridge-guard whip, the combination with a pair of posts one located at each side of a railroad-track, of a transverse rod supported at its opposite ends near the upper ends of said posts, a transverse strip suspended by said rod, tie-rods uniting the ends of said strip to the posts, a plurality of rods depending from said strip, and transverse bars located on either side of said rods adjacent their upper ends to prevent them from being swung relatively to said strip by the wind.

8. In abridge-guard whip, the combination with a pair ot' posts one located at each side of a railroad-track, of a transverse rod supported at its opposite ends near the upper ends of said posts, a transverse strip suspended by said rod, tielrods uniting the ends of said strip to the posts, a plurality of rods depending from said strip, hangers depending from said strip and extending downwardly to opposite sides of said rods, and transverse bars supported by said hangers adjacent the upper ends oi' the rods.

In testimony whereoi1 I sign this specification in the presence of two witnesses.

JAMES H. DONALDSON.

W itnesses:

Guo. L. VVILKINsoN, CLARA C. CUNNINGHAM.

IOO 

